Hollywood to get more incentives to film in upstate NY

Film crews would get an added 10 percent tax break if they film in certain parts of upstate New York, under the state budget deal set to be approved this week.

New York provides up to a 30 percent tax incentive for film production costs, and it would grow to 40 percent if they film in upstate counties.

The budget proposal is part of a five-year extension of the state’s film tax credit program, which costs the state $420 million a year. The program has had rapid success since the tax breaks were first bolstered in 2010.

The productions have particularly expanded in New York City, but there have been signs that they have made their way to upstate. Parts of “Spiderman 2” is set to be filmed in Rochester, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier this month.

Cuomo said the picture will be the largest movie production to be filmed in New York. He said in a statement earlier this month that the program last year lured 134 projects across the state.

Gallivan noted that Buffalo recently lost out to Cleveland for the production of the movie, “Draft Day.”

“This is a very useful tool that will help upstate film commissions attract more production spending. It’s a direct response to people asking “why does more than $20 million dollars in production spending drive across state lines every year?” and “why did Draft Day choose Cleveland instead of Buffalo?,” said Nora Brown, executive director of the Rochester and Finger Lakes Film and Video Office, in a statement released by Gallivan’s office.

The upstate counties that could get some Hollywood action are those outside of the Hudson Valley and west and north of Albany.